Celebrating inquiry in every classroom
Teachers across the country shared photos of students in the thick of inquiry — asking questions, testing ideas, and discovering something new. Here are the classrooms that stood out.
Outstanding inquiry across every grade
These classrooms were picked for their creativity, depth of questioning, and student engagement.
The Colonial Era
This end of unit project for the Colonial America unit asks students to explore an important event or aspect of colonial life. Students chose a topic and created an illustration in the medium of their choice. They also wrote a caption that explains the event from the perspectives of the different groups they studied, helping them consider how people experienced the same moment in different ways.
Migration & Movement
After reading about different waves of immigration, third grade students created posters about a specific immigrant group and presented what they learned to the class. The activity sparked discussion about push and pull factors and helped students understand the challenges immigrants faced before and after arriving in the United States.
My Team & Self
In the My Team and Self inquiry unit, students reflected on their own strengths and then identified the strengths of their classmates. They shared and celebrated these qualities as a class while learning how each person contributes to a team. The experience helped students understand the importance of teamwork and appreciating one another.
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Explore examples from the Inquiry Work Gallery.
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We created a cultural cookbook, where students made global connections about where their ingredients came from and how they come together and connect us with different parts of the world. Students took home a copy of all of their peers´ recipes!
Global Connections
3rd Grade
Final Product
We created a cultural cookbook, where students made global connections about where their ingredients came from and how they come together and connect us with different parts of the world. Students took home a copy of all of their peers´ recipes!
Additional Info
Crystal Bucio from Roaring Fork School District: CO, 3rd Grade
We are recreating and honoring the steps that people needed to take towards equality!
The 20th Century Civil Rights Movement
3rd Grade
Wall Display
We are recreating and honoring the steps that people needed to take towards equality!
Additional Info
Crystal Bucio from Roaring Fork School District: CO, 3rd Grade
Our 3rd Grade students, after reading articles about the different waves of immigration, created posters to present the information they learned to the class about their group of immigrants. It provided for a great discussion about the pushes and pulls of immigration. Students really began to realize the difficulties immigrants faced in other countries before coming to the US but were more shocked to find out that life was just as difficult, if not more, when they arrived here.
Migration and Movement
3rd Grade
Wall Display
Our 3rd Grade students, after reading articles about the different waves of immigration, created posters to present the information they learned to the class about their group of immigrants. It provided for a great discussion about the pushes and pulls of immigration. Students really began to realize the difficulties immigrants faced in other countries before coming to the US but were more shocked to find out that life was just as difficult, if not more, when they arrived here.
Additional Info
Jennifer Duzinskas from Maywood School District 89: IL, 3rd Grade
Students used the Pixton app to create these comics.
Natural Resources of the U.S.
4th Grade
Final Product
Students used the Pixton app to create these comics.
Additional Info
Kerry Nowicki from Kildeer Countryside Community Consolidated School District 96: IL, 4th Grade
Our student loved learning about the origins-development-and impact of agriculture!
The Human Story
6th Grade
Inquiry-Long Display
Our student loved learning about the origins-development-and impact of agriculture!
Additional Info
from , 6th Grade
This is an end of unit project for the Colonial America unit. Students chose an important event or aspect of colonial America and illustrated (in medium of their choice) and wrote a caption with the perspective of all groups that we learned about on the chosen event or aspect.
The Colonial Era
5th Grade
Final Product
This is an end of unit project for the Colonial America unit. Students chose an important event or aspect of colonial America and illustrated (in medium of their choice) and wrote a caption with the perspective of all groups that we learned about on the chosen event or aspect.
Additional Info
from , 5th Grade
Anchor chart from Module 2
The Colonial Era
5th Grade
Anchor Chart
Anchor chart from Module 2
Additional Info
Sarah Garcia from Maywood School District 89: IL, 5th Grade
My students loved the hexagonal activity from our Colonial Era unit. After they completed the card sort for Natural Resources, they asked if they could try to connect them like the hexagonal activity. They did a fantastic job and I liked hearing their explanation of the connections.
Natural Resources of the U.S.
5th Grade
Other
My students loved the hexagonal activity from our Colonial Era unit. After they completed the card sort for Natural Resources, they asked if they could try to connect them like the hexagonal activity. They did a fantastic job and I liked hearing their explanation of the connections.
Additional Info
Abby Brewer from Mason City Schools: OH, 5th Grade
We moved from economics (wants and needs) into natural resources! The students completed an inquiry chart of what they know and what they want to know and completed observations with a partner through pictures of natural resources!
Meeting Needs and Wants
1st Grade
Anchor Chart
We moved from economics (wants and needs) into natural resources! The students completed an inquiry chart of what they know and what they want to know and completed observations with a partner through pictures of natural resources!
Additional Info
from , 1st Grade
Students sorted groups and individuals that displayed colonial resistance.
The Colonial Era
5th Grade
Other
Students sorted groups and individuals that displayed colonial resistance.
Additional Info
from , 5th Grade
Our class wrote and drew about their favorite foods they eat for special celebrations. We were joined by our Big Buddy Volunteers from Clearwater Retirement Community who shared some of their traditions too! Our class loves listening to their perspectives and stories, and the volunteers enjoyed helping students create their quilt square. We posted everyone's square on our wall as we compared and contrasted everyone's unique traditions.
Families Near and Far
1st Grade
Handout
Our class wrote and drew about their favorite foods they eat for special celebrations. We were joined by our Big Buddy Volunteers from Clearwater Retirement Community who shared some of their traditions too! Our class loves listening to their perspectives and stories, and the volunteers enjoyed helping students create their quilt square. We posted everyone's square on our wall as we compared and contrasted everyone's unique traditions.
Additional Info
from , 1st Grade
We love making these infographics on Jamestown and Plymouth. It is a great way for students to practice making a claim and supporting it using specific evidence which we do in both reading and writing.
The Colonial Era
5th Grade
Other
We love making these infographics on Jamestown and Plymouth. It is a great way for students to practice making a claim and supporting it using specific evidence which we do in both reading and writing.
Additional Info
Ashley Bestor from Kettle Moraine SD: WI, 5th Grade
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